1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to electrically-powered toy vehicles, and more particularly to a toy vehicle propelled in either the forward or reverse direction by a bi-directional miniature d-c motor through a clutch and polarity-reversing switch operated by a shift stick mechanism, the vehicle being free rolling when the stick is in neutral.
2. Prior Art
The most effective toys in terms of play value and sustained interest on the part of the player are those that simulate real-life adult activity. Thus a toy vehicle is more attractive to a child when it has the appearance of a familiar, full-scale, adult vehicle. The toy vehicle is even more appealing to the child if the vehicle performs and can be operated in a manner comparable to the adult version, for then the child can play-act the role of an adult.
The use of bidirectional d-c motors to propel toy vehicles is known. In such toys, the motor is coupled to a battery through a polarity-reversing switch, such that when the switch is in one position, the motor provides forward travel, and when the switch is in another position, the motor drives the vehicle in the reverse direction.
Since real life vehicles such as trucks and autos are not operated by electrical switches, a conventional motorized toy vehicle fails to simulate the operating controls of a standard which makes use of a shift stick operating a gear shift mechanism to effect forward or reverse operation.
Another drawback of existing motorized vehicles is that the miniature electric motor is always coupled to a wheel axle and the vehicle is therefore never free rolling. A child playing with a motorized toy vehicle may, on occasion, wish to propel the vehicle by hand rather than by motor in order to carry out some imaginative play activity. But with known types of motorized toy vehicles, unless the motor is energized, the vehicle cannot be propelled.